Long-Term pemafibrate treatment exhibits limited impact on body fat mass in patients with hypertriglyceridemia accompanying NAFLD.

Aim: Short-term use of pemafibrate (PEM), a selective modulator of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha, has been reported to improve abnormal liver function in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease with hypertriglyceridemia (HTG-NAFLD). This study aimed to clarify the effects and predictive factors of long-term 72-week PEM administration on body composition, and laboratory tests in HTG-NAFLD patients. Methods: Fifty-three HTG-NAFLD patients receiving a 72-week PEM regimen were retrospectively enrolled. Routine blood and body composition results were analyzed immediately before and at the end of the study period. Results: PEM treatment significantly improved liver enzyme levels such as aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase, and gamma-glutamyl transferase, along with lipid profiles including triglyceride, total cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol. PEM did not have any detectable impact on body composition parameters. The factors of female, higher AST (≥ 46 U/L) and fat mass (≥ 31.9%), as well as lower soft lean mass (< 61.6%), skeletal muscle mass (< 36%), and skeletal muscle mass index (< 6.9 kg/m2) were significantly associated with the treatment response status of a > 30% decrease in ALT. All patients completed the treatment without any adverse effects. Conclusions: Long-term PEM treatment had a positive impact on liver enzymes and lipid profiles, but it did not result in significant changes in body composition among HTG-NAFLD patients. In predicting the response to PEM treatment, the evaluation of AST and body composition may be useful.

Comprehensive analysis of body composition features in melanoma patients treated with tyrosine kinase inhibitors.

BACKGROUND: The introduction of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) has greatly improved the management of metastatic melanoma. Recent studies have uncovered a relationship between the body mass index (BMI) and outcome of patients with metastatic melanoma. However, conflicting results have challenged the relevance of this finding. In the current work, we aim to dissect body composition features of melanoma patients treated with TKI to evaluate their value as biomarkers. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We analyze body composition features via CT scans in a retrospective cohort of 57 patients with non-resectable stage III/IV melanoma receiving first-line treatment with TKI in our department, focusing on the impact of body composition on treatment efficacy and occurrence of adverse events. RESULTS: In uni- and multivariate analyses, we identify an association between the visceral adipose tissue gauge index (VATGI) and survival. We furthermore profile additional body composition features including sarcopenia, which was also associated with a shorter overall survival. Finally, we detected an enrichment of cases with fatigue in patients with low VATGI. CONCLUSIONS: Our study represents the first exploratory study evaluating the suitability of body composition measurements as biomarkers for melanoma patients treated with TKI. Our data suggest a putative use of VATGI as a biomarker predicting patient outcome.

Practical diets for California yellowtail, Seriola dorsalis: Use of advanced soybean meal products on growth performance, body composition, intestinal morphology, and immune gene expression.

California yellowtail (CYT), Seriola dorsalis, is a promising candidate for aquaculture due to its rapid growth and high-quality flesh, particularly in markets like Japan, Australia, China, and the United States. Soy protein has shown success as a replacement for marine protein sources in CYT diets, reducing fishmeal levels, though concerns about potential intestinal inflammation persist with the inclusion of solvent-extracted soybean meal. To address this, processing strategies like fractionation, enzymatic treatment, heat treatment, and microbial fermentation have been employed to mitigate the negative impacts of soybean meal on fish nutrition and immune systems. This study focuses on optimizing soybean meal inclusion levels by incorporating advanced soy variants into CYT diets. The eight-week feeding trial, conducted in a recirculation system, featured six diets with sequential inclusion levels (0, 50, 100%) of high protein low oligosaccharide soybean meal (Bright Day, Benson Hill, St Louis, MO) and enzyme-treated soybean meal (HP 300, Hamlet Protein Inc., Findlay, OH), replacing solvent-extracted soybean. The study compares these formulations against a soy-free animal protein-based diet. At the end of the trial, fish were sampled for growth performance, body proximate composition, intestinal morphology, and immune response from gut samples. Results showed consistent FCR (P = 0.775), weight gain (P = 0.242), and high survival rate (99.4 ± 0.5%) among dietary treatments (P>0.05). Histological evaluations revealed no gut inflammation and gene expression analysis demonstrated no significant variations in immune, physiological, and digestive markers apn (P = 0.687), mga (P = 0.397), gpx1 (P = 0.279), atpase (P = 0.590), il1ß (P = 0.659). The study concludes that incorporating advanced soybean meal products, replacing up to 20% of fishmeal does not negatively affect CYT's growth and intestinal health. This suggests that all three soy sources, contributing 35% of total protein (15.4 g 100 g-1 diet), can be included in practical diets without compromising CYT's intestinal integrity or growth. These findings have positive implications for the commercial production of CYT and future research on the incorporation of plant-based proteins in aquaculture diets.

Assessment of the potential effects of l-carnitine and cinnamon supplementation on weight loss and body composition.

OBJECTIVE: Aim: To assess efficacy of L-carnitine and cinnamon alone and in combination on body composition parameters in addition to compare between them. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Materials and Methods: Sample of 28 obese and overweight adults in Babylon city, sample collection includes patients in places, or by internet, where interview take place according to specialize questionnaire height, weight, and body mass index were measured. RESULTS: Results: A significant differences P<0.05 among gender distribution between male and female. A significant difference between (150-160 cm, 160-170 cm) as compared with (170-180 cm, 180-190 cm). A significant difference between 170-180 cm as compared with 180-190 cm but non-significant differences between 150-160 cm as compared with 160-170 cm. A significant difference between 26-35 as compared with 36-45, 46-55, but non-significant differences between 36-45 as compared with 46-55. A significant difference between body weight, body fat, water content, skeletal muscle, and body mass index after treatment, but non-significant differences between protein, and inorganic salt after treatment and at baseline. A significant difference between body weight, water content, skeletal muscle, and body mass index in group treated with cinnamon as compared with negative control group, but non-significant differences between body fat, protein, and inorganic salt as compared with negative control group. CONCLUSION: Conclusions: The prevalence of overweight and obesity within accepted range of that reported in Iraq, important relationship was reported between several life style risk factor, as soon as diagnose increase in weight and education health program for behavior of life style were high recommended.

Adding Branched-Chain Amino Acids and Vitamin D to Whey Protein Is More Effective than Protein Alone in Preserving Fat Free Mass and Muscle Strength in the First Month after Sleeve Gastrectomy.

OBJECTIVES: Sleeve gastrectomy (SG) is one of the most commonly performed weight loss (WL) bariatric procedures. The main goal of WL is reducing total body weight (TBW) and fat mass (FM). However, TBW loss is systematically accompanied by a decline in fat-free mass (FFM), predominantly in the first post-surgical month, despite protein supplementation. Branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) and vitamin D seem to attenuate loss of FFM and, thus, reduce the decline in muscle strength (MS). However, data on the role of an integrated supplementation with whey protein plus BCAAs plus vitamin D (P+BCAAs+Vit.D) vs. protein alone on total weight loss (TWL), fat mass (FM), fat-free mass (FFM), and (MS) in the first month after SG are lacking. Therefore, the present study aims to evaluate the impact of P+BCAAs+Vit.D vs. protein alone supplementation on TWL, FM, FFM, and MS in the first month after SG. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Before SG and at 1 month afterward, we prospectively measured and compared TBW, FM, FFM, and MS in 57 patients who received either a supplementation with P+BCAAs+Vit.D (n = 31) or protein alone (n = 26). The impact of P+BCAAs+Vit.D and protein alone supplementation on clinical status was also evaluated. RESULTS: Despite non-significant variation in TBW, FM decreased more significantly (18.5% vs. 13.2%, p = 0.023) with the P+BCAA+Vit.D supplementation compared to protein alone. Furthermore, the P+BCAA+Vit.D group showed a significantly lower decrease in FFM (4.1% vs. 11.4%, p < 0.001) and MS (3.8% vs. 18.5%, p < 0.001) compared to the protein alone group. No significant alterations in clinical status were seen in either group. CONCLUSION: P+BCAA+Vit.D supplementation is more effective than protein alone in determining FM loss and is associated with a lower decrease in FFM and MS, without interfering with clinical status in patients 1 month after SG.

The effects of dietary Spirulina platensis or curcumin nanoparticles on performance, body chemical composition, blood biochemical, digestive enzyme, antioxidant and immune activities of Oreochromis niloticus fingerlings.

CONTEXT: Recently, prioritize has been given to using natural phytogenic or nano compounds as growth promoters and immunostimulants in fish diets as an alternative to antibiotics. AIMS: The main propose of this trial was to determine the impact of supplementing diets with spirulina or curcumin nanoparticles on the performance and health indicators of Nile tilapia fingerlings. METHODS: In a 56-day feeding trial, 180 tilapia fingerlings were assigned into three main groups, as follows: 1st, control group, 2nd, Spirulina platensis (SP; 5 g kg-1 diet) and 3rd, curcumin nanoparticles (CUR-NPs; 30 mg kg-1 diet). KEY RESULTS: Incorporating tilapia diets with SP or CUR-NPs significantly improved performance, body chemical analysis, blood biochemical and hematological indices, digestive enzyme activities, and antioxidant and immunostimulant features compared to the control. CONCLUSION: Fortified tilapia diets with CUR-NPs or SP efficiently boost the productivity and health of Nile tilapia fingerlings. IMPLICATIONS: The research introduces new practical solutions for applying safe feed additives as alternatives to antibiotics in tilapia farming.

Intranasal Oxytocin for Obesity.

BACKGROUND: Accumulating preclinical and preliminary translational evidence shows that the hypothalamic peptide oxytocin reduces food intake, increases energy expenditure, and promotes weight loss. It is currently unknown whether oxytocin administration is effective in treating human obesity. METHODS: In this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, we randomly assigned adults with obesity 1:1 (stratified by sex and obesity class) to receive intranasal oxytocin (24 IU) or placebo four times daily for 8 weeks. The primary end point was change in body weight (kg) from baseline to week 8. Key secondary end points included change in body composition (total fat mass [g], abdominal visceral adipose tissue [cm2], and liver fat fraction [proportion; range, 0 to 1; higher values indicate a higher proportion of fat]), and resting energy expenditure (kcal/day; adjusted for lean mass) from baseline to week 8 and caloric intake (kcal) at an experimental test meal from baseline to week 6. RESULTS: Sixty-one participants (54% women; mean age ± standard deviation, 33.6 ± 6.2 years; body-mass index [the weight in kilograms divided by the square of the height in meters], 36.9 ± 4.9) were randomly assigned. There was no difference in body weight change from baseline to week 8 between oxytocin and placebo groups (0.20 vs. 0.26 kg; P=0.934). Oxytocin (vs. placebo) was not associated with beneficial effects on body composition or resting energy expenditure from baseline to week 8 (total fat: difference [95% confidence interval], 196.0 g [-1036 to 1428]; visceral fat: 3.1 cm2 [-11.0 to 17.2]; liver fat: -0.01 [-0.03 to 0.01]; resting energy expenditure: -64.0 kcal/day [-129.3 to 1.4]). Oxytocin compared with placebo was associated with reduced caloric intake at the test meal (-31.4 vs. 120.6 kcal; difference [95% confidence interval], -152.0 kcal [-302.3 to -1.7]). There were no serious adverse events. Incidence and severity of adverse events did not differ between groups. CONCLUSIONS: In this randomized, placebo-controlled trial in adults with obesity, intranasal oxytocin administered four times daily for 8 weeks did not reduce body weight. (Funded by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases and others; ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT03043053.).

Effect of sex and milk replacer with or without supplemental carnitine and arginine on growth characteristics, carcass, and meat quality of artificially reared low-birth weight pigs.

This study compared milk replacer either remaining unsupplemented (CON) or supplemented with 0.5 g L-carnitine plus 16.7 g L-arginine/kg (CarArg) and fed to 48 low-birth weight (L-BtW) artificially reared piglets (24 per group) from days 7 to 28 of age. Eight farrowing series were needed to complete the study. On day 28, the lightest piglets were slaughtered, and the heaviest pigs were weaned. The heaviest pigs were weaned on day 28 and offered free access to a starter (weaning to 25 kg body weight [BW]), grower (25 to 60 kg BW), and finisher diet (60 to 96 kg BW on day 170 of age). After euthanization on days 28 and 170, blood was sampled for assessment of serum metabolite and hormone concentrations, and the semitendinosus muscle (STM) was weighed, and later subjected to enzyme activity analysis and assessment of myofiber characteristics. In the 170-d-old pigs carcass and meat quality traits were assessed. Growth data were analyzed accordingtoatwo-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), with dietary treatment and farrowing series as fixed effects, while remaining data were analyzed with dietary treatment, sex, their interaction, and farrowing series as main factors. Dietary treatments affected (P ≤ 0.049) muscle enzyme activity at both day 28, with greater citrate synthase (CS) and LDH activities and lower HAD:CS ratio in STM light portion, and lower LDH:CS ratio in STM dark portion, and 170 of age with lower HAD:CS ratio. In the starter period, CarArg pigs had greater average daily gain (P = 0.021) and average daily feed intake (P = 0.010). At slaughter, these pigs had lower (P = 0.013) glucose and greater (P = 0.022) urea serum concentrations. However, supplementing the milk replacer with carnitine and arginine had no long-term effects on growth performance, carcass composition, and meat quality of L-BtW pigs. In addition, muscle morphology and myofiber-related properties remained unaffected by the supplementation.

Breeding efforts to increase litter size in modern sows have inadvertently reduced the average birth weight of piglets, resulting in a higher number of piglets born with low-birth weight. These piglets are indeed vulnerable from birth and display relatively poor growth potential from a very early stage. For this reason, artificial rearing strategies are potentially a management option to improve the growth of these runt piglets. With an artificial rearing system, it is possible to provide specialized diets already during the suckling period, with inclusion of specific nutrients in certain concentrations suggested to improve the growth of runt piglets. Using an artificial rearing system allows for the provision of specialized diets during the suckling phase, which includes specific nutrients aimed at enhancing the growth of underdeveloped piglets. However, in the current experiment, the particular nutrients and their dosages did not significantly improve growth or other characteristics compared to the control group.

Effects of porcine somatotropin administration on the responses to dietary lysine and a near-ideal blend of amino acids on the amino acid composition of whole-body protein and amino acid accretion rate in growing pigs.

An experiment was conducted to assess the effects of porcine somatotropin (pST) on the responses to a near-ideal blend of AA on the AA composition of empty, whole-empty body (WEB) protein and WEB essential AA accretion rate in pigs from 22 to 60 kg BW. Forty Hampshire × Yorkshire gilts were individually penned and assigned to a 4 × 2 factorial arrangement of treatments consisting of four diets with and without pST injection. A fortified corn-soybean meal basal diet was formulated to contain 1.50% total Lys with Thr, Met, and Trp added to obtain a near-ideal blend of these AA relative to Lys. In three additional diets, Lys was reduced to 1.25%, 1.00%, and 0.75% by diluting the basal diet with cornstarch, cellulose, and sand such that the diets also contained the same ratios of AA. Pigs that received pST were administered a daily i.m. injection of 2 mg of pST. At 60 kg BW, the WEB (carcass, head, viscera, blood, nails, and hair) was ground and analyzed for proximate and AA composition. Administration of pST increased (P < 0.001) accretion rates of WEB protein and essential AA. Increasing dietary essential AA increased (quadratic, P < 0.03) accretion rate of WEB protein, His, Leu, Trp, and Val in pST-treated pigs, but not in untreated pigs. Lysine composition in the accreted WEB protein was not affected (P > 0.05) by dietary Lys. The efficiency of Lys utilization for WEB Lys accretion was linearly affected (P < 0.01) by dietary Lys. These results indicated that the dietary Lys needed to achieve maximum WEB Lys accretion is markedly increased by pST administration.

This study evaluated the effects of two factors, porcine somatotropin and graded levels of amino acids, on the total accumulation and the accretion rate of amino acids across a broad range of protein deposition rates in growing pigs. Treatments included 1) with or without a daily injection of porcine somatotropin and 2) graded levels of total dietary lysine from 0.75% to 1.50%. As expected, both the administration of porcine somatotropin and increased dietary lysine increased both the amount and the rate of amino acid accretion. However, the amount and rate of amino acid accretion from increased dietary amino acids were markedly greater in pigs treated with porcine somatotropin. Thus, the extent to which the genetic potential for protein deposition is achieved depends on both the anabolic capacity of the pig and the amino acid concentration of the diet provided.

Relationship between circulating FSH levels and body composition and bone health in patients with prostate cancer who undergo androgen deprivation therapy: The BLADE study.

Background: Among its extragonadal effects, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) has an impact on body composition and bone metabolism. Since androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) has a profound impact on circulating FSH concentrations, this hormone could potentially be implicated in the changes of fat body mass (FBM), lean body mass (LBM), and bone fragility induced by ADT. The objective of this study is to correlate FSH serum levels with body composition parameters, bone mineral density (BMD), and bone turnover markers at baseline conditions and after 12 months of ADT. Methods: Twenty-nine consecutive non-metastatic prostate cancer (PC) patients were enrolled from 2017 to 2019 in a phase IV study. All patients underwent administration of the luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone antagonist degarelix. FBM, LBM, and BMD were evaluated by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry at baseline and after 12 months of ADT. FSH, alkaline phosphatase, and C-terminal telopeptide of type I collagen were assessed at baseline and after 6 and 12 months. For outcome measurements and statistical analysis, t-test or sign test and Pearson or Spearman tests for continuous variables were used when indicated. Results: At baseline conditions, a weak, non-significant, direct relationship was found between FSH serum levels and FBM at arms (r = 0.36) and legs (r = 0.33). Conversely, a stronger correlation was observed between FSH and total FBM (r = 0.52, p = 0.006), fat mass at arms (r = 0.54, p = 0.004), and fat mass at trunk (r = 0.45, p = 0.018) assessed after 12 months. On the other hand, an inverse relationship between serum FSH and appendicular lean mass index/FBM ratio was observed (r = -0.64, p = 0.001). This is an ancillary study of a prospective trial and this is the main limitation. Conclusions: FSH serum levels after ADT could have an impact on body composition, in particular on FBM. Therefore, FSH could be a promising marker to monitor the risk of sarcopenic obesity and to guide the clinicians in the tailored evaluation of body composition in PC patients undergoing ADT. Funding: This research was partially funded by Ferring Pharmaceuticals. The funder had no role in design and conduct of the study, collection, management, analysis, and interpretation of the data and in preparation, review, or approval of the manuscript. Clinical trial number: clinicalTrials.gov NCT03202381, EudraCT Number 2016-004210-10.

Treatments given to cancer patients can cause negative side effects. For example, a treatment known as androgen deprivation therapy ­ which is used to reduce male sex hormone levels in prostate cancer patients ­ can lead to increased body fat percentage and decreased bone density. These adverse effects can have further negative impacts on patient health, such as increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease and fractures from falls from standing height or less, respectively. Understanding how androgen deprivation therapy contributes to these negative side effects may help clinicians better manage care and outcomes for patients with prostate cancer. Follicle stimulating hormone (or FSH for short) has roles in male and female reproduction but has also been linked to changes in body composition. For example, elevated FSH levels are associated with higher total fat body mass in post-menopausal women. While androgen deprivation therapy is known to alter FSH blood levels, the impact of this change in prostate cancer patients was not well understood. To investigate the effect of androgen deprivation therapy on FSH levels and body composition, Bergamini et al. used X-ray technology to measure total fat body mass in prostate cancer patients before and after undergoing 12 months of androgen deprivation therapy. The findings showed that patient FSH blood levels significantly decreased after 12 months of treatment. Higher FSH blood levels strongly correlated with increased total fat body mass after 12 months of treatment. The findings of this clinical trial suggest that FSH blood levels impact the body composition of patients undergoing androgen deprivation therapy. As a result, FSH blood levels may be a suitable biomarker for identifying patients that are more likely to develop obesity and are therefore at greater risk of complications such as cardiovascular disease.

Is bovine somatotropin an alternative strategy to overcome the detrimental effects of high-gain diets on prepubertal Holstein × Gyr heifers?

Feeding high-gain diets and an inadequate energy and protein ratio during pre-puberty may lead to impaired growth and mammary gland development of heifers. Thus, frequent application of bovine somatotropin (bST) may prevent future losses in productivity, improve mammary development and animal performance. We aimed to evaluate the effects of bST on digestibility, performance, blood metabolites, mammary gland development, and carcass composition of high-performance prepubertal Holstein × Gyr heifers. Thirty-four Holstein × Gyr heifers with an average initial body weight of 218 ± 49 kg and 14 ± 4 months of age were submitted to an 84-day trial evaluating the effects of no bST or bST injections. Treatments were randomly assigned to each animal within one of the tree blocks. The bST did not influence digestibility or performance parameters. Regarding blood results, IGF1 concentration presented an interaction between treatment and day, where bST heifers had the highest IGF1 concentration. Heifers receiving bST also showed increased ribeye area; however, only an experimental day effect for backfat thickness was observed, with greater accumulation of carcass fat on day 84. Heifers receiving bST had lower pixels/mm² on parenchyma, characteristic of greater parenchymal tissue. Moreover, heifers on bST treatment also had reduced pixels/mm2, characteristic of reduced fat pad tissue. Lastly, bST injections did not influence liver and muscle gene expression, nor most genes evaluated in mammary gland tissue, except for IGFBP3 expression, which was greater for bST heifers. In summary, we confirm the efficacy of bST injections to overcome the detrimental effects of high-gain diets on mammary gland growth and to improve lean carcass gain of prepubertal Holstein × Gyr heifers.

Elexacaftor/tezacaftor/ivacaftor influences body composition in adults with cystic fibrosis: a fully automated CT-based analysis.

A poor nutritional status is associated with worse pulmonary function and survival in people with cystic fibrosis (pwCF). CF transmembrane conductance regulator modulators can improve pulmonary function and body weight, but more data is needed to evaluate its effects on body composition. In this retrospective study, a pre-trained deep-learning network was used to perform a fully automated body composition analysis on chest CTs from 66 adult pwCF before and after receiving elexacaftor/tezacaftor/ivacaftor (ETI) therapy. Muscle and adipose tissues were quantified and divided by bone volume to obtain body size-adjusted ratios. After receiving ETI therapy, marked increases were observed in all adipose tissue ratios among pwCF, including the total adipose tissue ratio (+ 46.21%, p < 0.001). In contrast, only small, but statistically significant increases of the muscle ratio were measured in the overall study population (+ 1.63%, p = 0.008). Study participants who were initially categorized as underweight experienced more pronounced effects on total adipose tissue ratio (p = 0.002), while gains in muscle ratio were equally distributed across BMI categories (p = 0.832). Our findings suggest that ETI therapy primarily affects adipose tissues, not muscle tissue, in adults with CF. These effects are primarily observed among pwCF who were initially underweight. Our findings may have implications for the future nutritional management of pwCF.

Trace mineral source and chromium propionate supplementation affect performance and carcass characteristics in feedlot steers.

Angus-crossbred steers (n = 400; 369.7 ±â€…7.6 kg) were used to determine the influence of trace mineral (TM) source and chromium propionate (Cr Prop) supplementation on performance, carcass characteristics, and ruminal and plasma variables in finishing steers. Steers were blocked by body weight (BW) and randomly assigned within block to treatments in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement, with factors being: 1) TM source (STM or HTM) and 2) Cr supplementation (0 or 0.25 mg Cr/kg DM, -Cr or + Cr, respectively). Treatments consisted of the addition of: 1) sulfate TM (STM; 90, 40, and 18 mg/kg DM of Zn, Mn, and Cu, respectively), 2) STM and 0.25 mg Cr/kg DM from Cr Prop, 3) hydroxychloride TM (HTM; 90, 40, and 18 mg/kg DM of Zn, Mn, and Cu, respectively), and 4) HTM and 0.25 mg Cr/kg DM from Cr Prop. Each treatment consisted of 10 replicate pens with 10 steers per pen. Body weights were obtained on consecutive days at the initiation and termination of the 154-d study. Steers were fed a steam-flaked corn-based finishing diet. Ractopamine hydrochloride was fed for the last 31 d of the study. Ruminal fluid and blood samples were obtained from one steer per pen on days 28 and 84 for ruminal volatile fatty acids (VFA) and plasma TM and glucose analysis. Steers were slaughtered at the end of the study and individual carcass data were collected. No Cr × TM source interactions (P = 0.48) were detected. Steers supplemented with HTM had greater (P = 0.04) hot carcass weight (HCW), dressing percentage (DP), longissimus muscle (LM) area, and USDA yield grade (YG), and tended (P = 0.12) to have greater average daily gain (ADG) than those receiving STM. Average daily gain, gain:feed, dressing percentage, and longissimus muscle area were greater (P = 0.04) for + Cr steers compared to-Cr steers. Hot carcass weight tended (P = 0.06) to be greater for + Cr steers. Ruminal acetate concentrations at 28 d were lesser (P = 0.01) for HTM vs. STM steers, and greater (P = 0.04) for + Cr steers compared to-Cr steers. Plasma concentrations of Zn, Cu, and Mn were not affected by TM source or Cr supplementation. Steers supplemented with Cr had greater (P = 0.05) plasma glucose concentrations than-Cr steers at 28 but not at 84 d. Results of this study indicate replacing STM with HTM improved carcass characteristics in finishing steers, and Cr Prop supplementation improved steer performance and carcass characteristics.

Trace minerals (TM) are supplemented to finishing cattle diets to prevent TM deficiencies. Sources of TM differ in their bioavailability and effect on rumen fermentation. Chromium is a TM required in low concentrations to enhance insulin activity. We tested the effect of TM source (hydroxychloride; HTM vs. sulfate; STM) and supplemental Cr propionate (Cr Prop) on performance and carcass characteristics of finishing steers. Providing 0.25 mg of supplemental Cr/kg DM, from Cr Prop, improved gain, feed efficiency, and carcass characteristics in steers. Steers supplemented with HTM tended to gain faster and had improved carcass characteristics of economic importance compared to those supplemented with STM.

Effect of liraglutide on thigh muscle fat and muscle composition in adults with overweight or obesity: Results from a randomized clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: Excess muscle fat is observed in obesity and associated with greater burden of cardiovascular risk factors and higher risk of mortality. Liraglutide reduces total body weight and visceral fat but its effect on muscle fat and adverse muscle composition is unknown. METHODS: This is a pre-specified secondary analysis of a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial that examined the effects of liraglutide plus a lifestyle intervention on visceral adipose tissue and ectopic fat among adults without diabetes with body mass index ≥30 kg/m2 or ≥27 kg/m2 and metabolic syndrome. Participants were randomly assigned to a once-daily subcutaneous injection of liraglutide (target dose 3.0 mg) or matching placebo for 40 weeks. Body fat distribution and muscle composition was assessed by magnetic resonance imaging at baseline and 40-week follow-up. Muscle composition was described by the combination of thigh muscle fat and muscle volume. Treatment difference (95% confidence intervals [CI]) was calculated by least-square means adjusted for baseline thigh muscle fat. The association between changes in thigh muscle fat and changes in body weight were assessed using Spearman correlation coefficients. The effect of liraglutide versus placebo on adverse muscle composition, denoted by high thigh muscle fat and low thigh muscle volume, was explored. RESULTS: Among the 128 participants with follow-up imaging (92.2% women, 36.7% Black), median muscle fat at baseline was 7.8%. The mean percent change in thigh muscle fat over median follow-up of 36 weeks was -2.87% among participants randomized to liraglutide (n = 73) and 0.05% in the placebo group (absolute change: -0.23% vs. 0.01%). The estimated treatment difference adjusted for baseline thigh muscle fat was -0.24% (95% CI, -0.41 to -0.06, P-value 0.009). Longitudinal change in thigh muscle fat was significantly associated with change in body weight in the placebo group but not the liraglutide group. The proportion of participants with adverse muscle composition decreased from 11.0% to 8.2% over follow-up with liraglutide, but there was no change with placebo. CONCLUSIONS: In a cohort of predominantly women with overweight or obesity in the absence of diabetes, once-daily subcutaneous liraglutide was associated with a reduction in thigh muscle fat and adverse muscle composition compared with placebo. The contribution of muscle fat improvement to the cardiometabolic benefits of liraglutide requires further study.

Impact of CFTR modulator therapy on body composition as assessed by thoracic computed tomography: A follow-up study.

OBJECTIVE: Treatment with cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) modulators in individuals with cystic fibrosis (CF) has brought a significant change in forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) and clinical parameters. However, it also results in weight gain. The aim of our study is to evaluate the effect of CFTR modulator treatment on body composition, measured by computed tomography (CT). METHODS: Adult subjects with CF under follow-up at La Princesa University Hospital were recruited. All of them were on elexacaftor-tezacaftor-ivacaftor (ELX/TEZ/IVA) treatment. Body composition analysis was conducted using CT scans and an open-source software. The results were then compared with bioimpedance estimations, as well as other clinical and spirometry data. RESULTS: Our sample consisted of 26 adult subjects. The fat mass compartments on CT scans correlated with similar compartments on bioimpedance, and normal-density muscle mass exhibited a strong correlation with phase angle. Higher levels of very low-density muscle prior to treatment were associated with lower final FEV1 and less improvement in FEV1 after therapy. We observed an increase in total body area (P < 0.001), driven by increases in total fat mass (P < 0.001), subcutaneous fat (P < 0.001), visceral fat (P = 0.002), and intermuscular fat (P = 0.022). The only muscle compartment that showed an increase after treatment was very low-density muscle (P = 0.032). CONCLUSIONS: CT scans represent an opportunity to assess body composition on CF. Combination treatment with CFTR modulators, leads to an improvement in FEV1 and to an increase in body mass in all compartments primarily at the expense of fat mass.

Effects of follicle-stimulating hormone on energy balance and tissue metabolic health after loss of ovarian function.

Loss of ovarian function imparts increased susceptibility to obesity and metabolic disease. These effects are largely attributed to decreased estradiol (E2), but the role of increased follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) in modulating energy balance has not been fully investigated. Previous work that blocked FSH binding to its receptor in mice suggested this hormone may play a part in modulating body weight and energy expenditure after ovariectomy (OVX). We used an alternate approach to isolate the individual and combined contributions of FSH and E2 in mediating energy imbalance and changes in tissue-level metabolic health. Female Wistar rats were ovariectomized and given the gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) antagonist degarelix to suppress FSH production. E2 and FSH were then added back individually and in combination for a period of 3 wk. Energy balance, body mass composition, and transcriptomic profiles of individual tissues were obtained. In contrast to previous studies, suppression and replacement of FSH in our paradigm had no effect on body weight, body composition, food intake, or energy expenditure. We did, however, observe organ-specific effects of FSH that produced unique transcriptomic signatures of FSH in retroperitoneal white adipose tissue. These included reductions in biological processes related to lipogenesis and carbohydrate transport. In addition, rats administered FSH had reduced liver triglyceride concentration (P < 0.001), which correlated with FSH-induced changes at the transcriptomic level. Although not appearing to modulate energy balance after loss of ovarian function in rats, FSH may still impart tissue-specific effects in the liver and white adipose tissue that might affect the metabolic health of those organs.NEW & NOTEWORTHY We find no effect of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) on energy balance using a novel model in which rats are ovariectomized, subjected to gonadotropin-releasing hormone antagonism, and systematically given back FSH by osmotic pump. However, tissue-specific effects of FSH on adipose tissue and liver were observed in this study. These include unique transcriptomic signatures induced by the hormone and a stark reduction in hepatic triglyceride accumulation.

Skeletal muscle mass increases after viral eradication with direct-acting antivirals in patients with chronic hepatitis C: A longitudinal study.

BACKGROUND: Results of studies evaluating the effect of viral eradication following direct-acting antiviral (DDA) therapy on skeletal muscle mass of patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC) are scarce. AIM: To assess the components of sarcopenia (low muscle mass, low muscle strength and low physical performance) in a cohort of CHC individuals before and after DAA therapy. METHODS: We performed a longitudinal study of patients with CHC who underwent body composition assessment before (T0), and at 12 (T1) and 48 (T2) weeks after DDA therapy. Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis was used to assess skeletal mass muscle (SM) and phase angle (PhA). SM index (SMI) was calculated by dividing the SM by squared height. Muscle function was evaluated by hand grip strength (HGS) and timed up-and-go (TUG) test. Mixed-effects linear regression models were fitted to SMI, HGS and physical performance and were used to test the effect of HCV eradication by DAA. RESULTS: 62 outpatients (mean age, 58.6 ± 10.8 years; 58% with compensated cirrhosis) were included. Significant decreases in liver fibrosis markers and an increase of 0.20 and 0.22 kg/m2 in the SMI were observed at T1 and T2. Following DAA therapy, an increase of one unit of PhA was associated with a reduction of 0.38 min in TUG. CONCLUSION: HCV eradication with DAA therapy was associated with a dynamic reduction of non-invasive markers of liver fibrosis and increased muscle mass in 62 patients with CHC who had an undetectable HCV load at 12 weeks after completion of antiviral treatment.

Jaboticaba peel improves postprandial glucose and inflammation: A randomized controlled trial in adults with metabolic syndrome.

The modulation of glucose metabolism through dietary sources has been recognized as 1 of the most sustainable approaches for preventing of cardiometabolic diseases. Although fibers and phenolic compounds derived from jaboticaba (Plinia jaboticaba) peel have demonstrated improvements in metabolic pathways in preclinical models, their beneficial effects in clinical trials remain to be fully determined. This study aimed to assess the impact of jaboticaba peel (JP) powder supplementation on glucose metabolism compared with a placebo in individuals with metabolic syndrome (MetS). A single-blind, parallel, randomized, placebo-controlled trial involving 49 individuals with MetS was conducted. Participants were assigned to receive either a JP supplement (15 g/day) or a matched placebo. Anthropometry measurements, body composition, blood pressure, metabolic and inflammatory parameters, and a mixed-meal tolerance test were assessed at weeks 0 and 5. Daily intake of JP improved the area under the curve of glucose (P = .025) and the interleukin-6 (IL-6) (P = .045). No significant time × treatment effects were observed for blood pressure, body weight, body composition, lipid metabolism, glucagon-like peptide-1, inflammatory cytokines (tumor necrosis factor-α, IL-1ß), C-reactive protein, and insulin sensitivity and resistance indexes. JP supplementation may be a promising approach for managing MetS disorders, potentially by reducing the area under the curve for glucose and the proinflammatory cytokine IL-6. This research is registered at the Brazilian Registry of Clinical Trials (RBR-8wwq9t).

Relationship between muscle mass ratio and rocuronium dose required for maintaining deep neuromuscular blockade: A prospective observational study.

BACKGROUND: Deep neuromuscular blockade (NMB) has benefits in various surgical procedures, however, precise quantitative neuromuscular monitoring is crucial for its proper maintenance and recovery. Neuromuscular blocking agent dosage relies on actual body weight (ABW), but this varies among individuals. Therefore, this study hypothesizes that there is a correlation between the rocuronium requirement for deep NMB and muscle mass ratio measured by bioelectric impedance analysis. METHODS: Ninety adult female patients undergoing laparoscopic operation were enrolled in this study. Muscle and fat masses were assessed using a body composition analyser. Deep NMB, defined as a post-tetanic count of 1-2, was maintained through the continuous infusion of rocuronium. The primary outcome involves determining the correlation between the rocuronium dose required for deep NMB and the muscle mass ratio. Conversely, secondary outcomes included assessing the relationship between the rocuronium dose for deep NMB and fat mass ratio, and ABW. Additionally, we investigated their relationship with rocuronium onset time and profound blockade duration. RESULTS: No relationship was observed between the muscle mass ratio and rocuronium dose required for maintaining deep NMB (r = 0.059 [95% CI = 0.153-0.267], p = 0.586). Fat mass ratio and ABW showed no correlation with the rocuronium dose, whereas rocuronium onset time was positively correlated with muscle mass ratio (r = 0.327) and negatively correlated with fat mass ratio (r = -0.302), respectively. Profound blockade duration showed no correlation with any of the assessed variables. CONCLUSIONS: No correlation was detected between muscle mass ratio and the rocuronium dose required to achieve deep NMB.

The effect of humate as a feed additive on feed intake, production, and carcass parameters of Angus steers.

Humate may be a valuable livestock feed additive, with potential effects on nutrient utilisation and animal performance. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate the effect of K Humate S 100R supplementation on the feed intake, liveweight gain, and carcass parameters of Angus steers. Within individual pens, 40 weaned steers were allocated to four treatment groups (n = 10/potassium humate K Humate S100R, Omnia Specialities Australia) for 100 days. The treatment groups included Group 1, 35 g K Humate S100R/animal/day; Group 2, 70 g K Humate S100R/animal/day; Group 3, 140 g K Humate S100R/animal/day; and Control Group, which were not supplemented with K Humate S100R (0 g K Humate S100R/animal/day). Chemical and mineral composition of the feed ingredients, dry matter intake (DMI), and average daily weight gains were recorded. The steers were slaughtered as a single group at a commercial Australian abattoir. Standard measures for hot standard carcass weight, eye muscle area, fat depth and coverage, marbling, ossification, meat and fat colour, dressing percentage and loin pH values at 24-hour postmortem were recorded. It was found that the steers allocated to Group 2 had higher DMI (P = 0.003) and feed conversion ratio (FCR) (P < 0.001) compared with those allocated to Group 1 and the Control Group. The MSA marbling score was lowest for steers allocated to the Control Group (P < 0.05) and comparable for those allocated to Groups 1, 2, and 3. Together, these results demonstrate that increased levels of K Humate S100R supplementation improved the carcass quality, via an increase in MSA. However, further research is warranted on the potential effects of humates supplementation on intramuscular fat associated qualities of beef.